I have a buddy that lost a wheel due to loose wheel lugs.

Admittedly it was a Moretti and I suspect they make the studs out of al dente pasta, but the fact remains the wheel got loose and almost came off.

You always read: "after rotating or changing your tires, always retorque after 500 miles."

I'm a car guy. I'm a do-it-my-selfer.

And.

I have NEVER, EVER, retorqued the lugs after 500 miles. In my entire life. Never.

Anyone do that?

 

Uh huh.

Not a bad idea.

VERY good idea with trailer tires ... especially new rims.

 

The only time my lugs get retorqued is when I forget our wedding anniversary!

 

I retorque them after every session @ the track (typically 20-40 min each) and after I switch back to street tires/wheels I like to check just for the helluvit.

It only takes a couple of minutes tops.

 

I torque them when I put them on,--but never check later. These things just don't loosen up,--with over 1/4 million 911 miles behind me...

 

+10
Got my new Featherlight and brought it home, 70 miles. Read the re-torque warning and dissed it as boilerplate yada yada. 40 miles into my first tow with the RS onboard and I hear this funny sound. One of the tires was seriously wobbling with only 3 nuts left, huge lug holes. Other 3 tires were starting to come loose, some nuts only hand tight. The problem with trailers is that the studs are not fully seated and they protrude out more as they get seated, making the bolts loose. I now check those suckers every few trips, and have a spare. I made it home on three tires by maxing out the pressure in the single. Thank you torsion suspension.

 

THe other problem with trailer rims is they are coated to resist rust. Well that coating also resists seating of the nuts.

We've had a few customers who did not torque their nuts shred wheels over the years.

 

I always check 50 miles after a wheel change. Only once have I had to re torque one. I also use a light coat of copper paste so that there isn't any oxidation issues etc.